Last month a customer in a New York restaurant was injured by a drone that was taking pictures of other diners.
With news that online giant, Amazon, is set to use drones to deliver packages in the UK, might we soon find ourselves wearing crash helmets every time we pop outdoors in order to avoid being struck by the increasing number of remote-controlled devices?
It’s no surprise to learn that, along with autonomous vehicles – that’s driverless cars to you and me – which are already on the roads in parts of California, the rise of the machines is opening up new revenue streams for the Insurance industry.
Add to this the renaissance of Born Again Bikers (old blokes on big motorbikes) and the growing craze for middle-aged men to take up competitive cycling, and there seems to be no end of trends all demanding cover against potential calamity, accident and injury.
Of course, this is good news for anyone starting out on a career to become an Insurance Sales Assistant or Claims Account Handler.
If you already work in the industry, this is also good news for your career prospects because the demand for policies looks set to keep on rising.
So how do you rise with it?
How do you make your way from the lower rungs of the industry to the very top of the tree?
Here are our Top Ten Tips for being bolder than the best biker and flying higher than the most ambitious shopping drone.
- Stay focused – research shows that after 90 minutes our attention starts to wander, so plan your insurance work in chunks. Take time away from your desk to refresh your brain before tackling the spreadsheets.
- Switch off the noise – email and text alerts can be tricky to ignore so switch them off and allow yourself only set times for checking messages. You’ll be astonished how much more you achieve.
- Take a lunch break – missing out on lunch or being content with grabbing a sandwich at your desk is counter-productive. You’ll perform much better for your team leader if you take a stroll around town or fit in a lunchtime yoga session.
- Pay attention – there’s always information floating about the ether, so watch what’s happening across departments and learn to decode the language of your boss. That way you’ll be able to spot opportunities before they become common knowledge.
- Follow the industry – read your s1jobs blog and industry journals. There’s no excuse for not knowing your insurance specialism inside out.
- Be a news junkie – the insurance industry can be rocked by local, global and environmental events on any given day, so keep pace with these and you’ll be ready for anything.
- Spot the next trend – will hoverboards really take off? Transport is changing fast, as driverless cars and shopping drones prove, and this is presenting lots of opportunities for the insurance industry.
- Focus on the customer – is your insurance company delivering a great service to policyholders or could it do better? Find new ways of keeping customers happy.
- Train, train, train – you might be the best Insurance Analyst in the building but there are many other buildings in this town. Attend all the training sessions on offer and seek out any additional courses or qualifications that might be relevant.
- Do the job – there’s no better way to raise your status than simply delivering on what you’ve been asked to do. Believe us, dedication and consistency gets you noticed.
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